Key lessons learned from 100 UK cross-laminated timber projects

The United Kingdom (UK) has been a global pioneer of building using cross-laminated timber (CLT) with more than 500 completed projects over the past 10+ years.

A leading practitioner of CLT architecture in the UK, Waugh Thistleton compiled a book, 100 Projects UK CLT, containing 100 case studies of CLT buildings in the UK with facts and project details on each. In addition, it includes a primer on CLT construction outlining design and construction considerations and lessons learned.

This practical guide is intended for those interested in mass timber and CLT, exploring insights from design teams and real buildings, including:

• Dalston Works:  At 10 storeys high, it is the world’s largest CLT building and showcases how mass timber can help deliver high-quality, high-density housing without compromising the environment.  The structures uses the equivalent of 2,325 trees—around three trees per person living or working in the building.
• Hilden Grange Prep School: CLT was chosen for this project to accelerate construction as the school had to be built within one academic year. Timber was also selected for the interior as it has been shown to have a beneficial impact on stress levels and behaviour of children in schools.
• GSK Centre for Sustainable Chemistry: The objective of this project was to create a laboratory that would make no overall contribution to greenhouse gases throughout its entire lifecycle. Calculations project that all carbon associated with both the construction and operation of the building will be paid back within 25 years.
• Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care: The first use of solid laminated timber in a tertiary healthcare environment, this single-story extension was designed to provide space and privacy for parents to engage with their babies. As an added bonus, wood doesn’t become electrically charged, which inhibits raising of dust, reducing allergens and increasing the quality of life for those with respiratory problems.

Download a digital copy of 100 Projects UK CLT at Think Wood.